Systems and methods relating to use of external air for inventory control of a closed thermodynamic cycle system or energy storage system, such as a reversible Brayton cycle system, are disclosed. A method may involve, in a closed cycle system operating in a power generation mode, circulating a working fluid may through a closed cycle fluid path. The closed cycle fluid path may include a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg. The method may further involve in response to a demand for increased power generation, compressing and dehumidifying environmental air. And the method may involve injecting the compressed and dehumidified environmental air into the low pressure leg.

Systems and methods are provided to cool a heat producing component in an electrical machine system. The electrical machine includes a supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO.sub.2) wherein the SCO.sub.2 is a working medium of a heat exchanger that is arranged in the electrical machine system to cool a fluid that cools the heat producing component and/or wherein the SCO.sub.2 directly cools at the heat producing component.

A heat exchanger includes a shell housing a plurality of tubes and defining an exhaust fluid flow path within a first volume enclosed by the shell. The outer surfaces of the plurality of tubes are in fluid communication with the exhaust fluid flow path. The heat exchanger includes a cap attached to a first end of the shell and defining a second volume. A header is configured to separate the first volume from the second volume, flex with thermal expansion, and define tube inlet and outlet positions. The tube inlets and outlets are in fluid communication with a source fluid flow path, and each tube is substantially U-shaped and defines a flow path of the source fluid within the exhaust fluid flow path. The heat exchanger includes at least one longitudinal flow baffle within the shell configured to reduce an amount of exhaust fluid that may bypass the tubes.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods useful for power production. In particular, a power production cycle utilizing CO.sub.2 as a working fluid may be combined with a second cycle wherein a compressed CO.sub.2 stream from the power production cycle, which can be heated and expanded to produce additional power and to provide additional heating to the power production cycle.

A method may include obtaining reservoir data for a geological region of interest. The method may further include obtaining turbine data regarding a supercritical carbon dioxide power (sCO2) turbine. The method may further include obtaining carbon emission data for a well coupled to the geological region of interest. The method may further include determining predicted production data and predicted carbon emission data using a machine-learning model, the reservoir data, the turbine data, and the carbon emission data. The method may further include transmitting a command to a control system based on the predicted production data and the predicted carbon emission data. The command may adjusts an amount of carbon dioxide that is distributed to an injection well and the sCO.sub.2 turbine. The command achieves a predetermined production rate at the well and a predetermined carbon footprint.

A thermodynamic system and method for performing work includes a working fluid and a fluid pump for pumping the working fluid through a cycle. A thermal input supplies heat to the working fluid. An expansion device downstream of the thermal input converts at least the heat of the working fluid to useful work. A heat exchanger downstream of the expansion device has a first portion to transfer heat from downstream said expansion device to a second portion at or upstream of said thermal input. A conversion device expands the working fluid with constant enthalpy from a higher to a lower pressure.

The boiler using a liquid metal as a working medium according to the present invention is comprises: a combustion furnace, in which the working medium is supplied and heated; a heat exchange part, which is connected to the combustion furnace and to which the working medium heated in the combustion furnace is supplied; a heat medium injection part, which is positioned in the heat exchange part; and a supply part, which is connected to the heat exchange part and supplies the heat medium to the heat medium injection part. In the heat exchange part, the heat exchange between the heat medium supplied to the heat medium injection part and the heated working medium is performed. The heat medium reaches high temperature and high pressure states at a threshold point or higher by means of the heat exchange. In addition, the working medium is a liquid metal.

An apparatus includes multiple tanks each configured to receive and store a liquid refrigerant under pressure. The apparatus also includes one or more insulated water jackets each configured to receive and retain water around at least part of an associated one of the tanks. The apparatus further includes at least one generator configured to receive a flow of the liquid refrigerant and to generate electrical power based on the flow of the liquid refrigerant. The apparatus also includes one or more first valves configured to control the flow of the liquid refrigerant between the tanks and through the at least one generator. In addition, the apparatus includes one or more second valves configured to control a flow of the water into and out of the one or more insulated water jackets.

An apparatus includes first and second tanks each configured to receive and store a refrigerant under pressure. The apparatus also includes at least one generator configured to receive flows of the refrigerant between the tanks and to generate electrical power based on the flows of the refrigerant. The apparatus further includes first and second hydraulic drives associated with the first and second tanks, respectively. Each hydraulic drive includes a first piston within the associated tank, a channel fluidly coupled to the associated tank and configured to contain hydraulic fluid, and a second piston within the channel and configured to move within the channel in order to vary an amount of the hydraulic fluid within the associated tank and vary a position of the first piston within the associated tank. The channel of each hydraulic drive has a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of the associated tank.

The present invention provides methods and system for power generation using a high efficiency combustor in combination with a CO.sub.2 circulating fluid. The methods and systems advantageously can make use of a low pressure ratio power turbine and an economizer heat exchanger in specific embodiments. Additional low grade heat from an external source can be used to provide part of an amount of heat needed for heating the recycle CO.sub.2 circulating fluid. Fuel derived CO.sub.2 can be captured and delivered at pipeline pressure. Other impurities can be captured.